Variable Neighborhood Search for Multi-Cycle Medical Waste Recycling Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows

Wanting Zhang, Ming Zeng (), Peng Guo and Kun Wen
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Wanting Zhang: College of Management Science, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, China
Ming Zeng: College of Management Science, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, China
Peng Guo: School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
Kun Wen: School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 19, 1-25

Abstract: Background: Improper disposal of urban medical waste is likely to cause a series of neglective impacts. Therefore, we have to consider how to improve the efficiency of urban medical waste recycling and lowering carbon emissions when facing disposal. Methods: This paper considers the multi-cycle medical waste recycling vehicle routing problem with time windows for preventing and reducing the risk of medical waste transportation. First, a mixed-integer linear programming model is formulated to minimize the total cost consisting of the vehicle dispatch cost and the transportation costs. In addition, an improved neighborhood search algorithm is designed for handling large-sized problems. In the algorithm, the initial solution is constructed using the Clarke–Wright algorithm in the first stage, and the variable neighborhood search algorithm with a simulated annealing strategy is introduced for exploring a better solution in the second stage. Results: The computational results demonstrate the performance of the suggested algorithm. In addition, the total cost of recycling in the periodic strategy is lower than with the single-cycle strategy. Conclusions: The proposed model and algorithm have the management improvement value of the studied medical waste recycling vehicle routing problem.

Keywords: variable neighborhood search; medical waste recycling; vehicle routing problem; multi-cycle; time windows (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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